Previously,
The morning was still at it's first phase as the clock struck 9:30.
"We have to leave now"
Xiao Jane's every cell was anxious from inside but her outer portion was as calm as undisturbed lake.
Both of them secretly hopped inside the car and left. It was quite obvious that Father Ming was fully unaware of this collaboration of the two besties and Xiao Guan and Xi Cheng were the one who had all the keys in their chest!
Song Lin drove the car and crossed the Eastern street to make it short.
With every mile getting closer, Xiao Jane's breathing started to become unstable, her body shaking hesitantly, as if she was trying to get a hold over it.
"Suffering anxiety attack again?" Lin asked pressing Xiao Jane's hand tightly with the side not handling the wheels.
"Kind of..... I feel like I won't be able to calm myself anytime soon. Maybe....it will get better if I take some heavy breathing..." her hands were cold, face covered with tint of redness, sweating and her heart about to jump out of it's cavity.
"Have you taken your pills yet?" Song Lin asked in a concerned tone when she witnessed such severe symptoms arising from an anxious Xiao Jane.
"I didn't....I....I have to take the breakfast first ....and yeah I totally forgot about it!" She hardly replied as if her soul had left her body.
It's nothing new for Xiao Jane though. She has been suffering from panic attacks and anxiety issues due to a childhood trauma since she's eight.
Her family, heavily concerned regarding this issue, never told her much about the traumatic past to prevent her from knowing something horrible. They told her that she starts panicking when going near strangers.
It's already over fifteen years, she efficiently managed to suppress it while working overseas. High society never got to know what kind of trauma the baby Xiao Jane has suffered except for her family and Song Lin.
And gladly, not even her ex-boyfriend know any of this.
It haven't manifested on daily basis, but always came into action whenever she has to meet anyone suspicious or like a stranger person, to deal with them.
Surrounded by her closed ones all these years, she never in her wildest dreams, dreamt of marrying someone so mysterious and suspicious. Meeting with Mo Fengshi was, of course, her decision but now that her old fears are overpowering her, she is afraid of something familiar.
It's been years since she had her last anxiety attack. That's why this sudden trigger of senses made Song Lin surprised, as she never thought that it would come back at a time like this. She looked at her pitiful posture,
"Don't be weak at a time like this Jane Jane....just...just keep calm and rest your nerves! I am with you remember! We've got this together okay..." words trying their best to persuade Xiao Jane into reality, out of the trap of fear engraved on her mind.
'She's right! I have been better enough while I was on my work..... it's been years and I know it's something I can manage.....I can't let it control my actions at a situation where my future depends!' her pale slender fingers wiping her face.
"Yeah....I think it's fine....pills will be handled after this!" she pressurized her head from the tips of her fingers and managed to suppress it a little bit.
"We're here!" Song Lin informed.
"It's 9:50am right?" as Lin Lin nodded in response.
The hotel was rather big and more magnificent than a multicomplex building.
'The House of Ophelia? What a weird name for a place like this!' Lin Lin thought, while stepping out of the car.
"Have you calmed down yet?"
"Yeah... it's just.... Thanks Lin Lin....I really don't know what I would do without you!" her vision getting blurry with a hint of moisture in it.
"It's okay. I'm here with you! Go and check for your reservation table. I'll be taking the seat nearby where I can see you both." assuring her, they entered the restaurant.
Song Lin tapped on her back, "And....save you gratitude for my next treat, which will be kindly offered by you as a token of thanks! Hee Hee!" she giggled lifting the weight of the nervousness in the air.
"You do deserve this.....for being an awesome friend, being an awesome agent and being an awesome counselor my little Lin!" she smiled, but her heart was defying her confidence.
"It's about time ....for you to get yourself together and, I have to leave from here. I'll come later when you get settled....We can do it Ah Jane!" she spread the positive words, and waited till Xiao Jane will find her table .
'It's already 10, and I can't figure out any shadow resembling the tiniest bit of Mo Fengshi..... although I have never seen him personally, but from the pictures I might have seen of his, I can say that, at this moment no men in my eyes are satisfying the image I am having of him!'
She twisted her wrist in order to check the time again. The restaurant had the fabulous interior designing like other fancy restaurants that are beautifully, sometimes lavishly decorated. Combined with the low lighting it was kinda romantic.
To begin with the fresh flowers, tasteful artwork, heartmelting music, linen tablecloths and napkins. But there was a hint of sadness in those artworks, they seemed familiar, those paintings.....they looked sad.
"I wonder why they have chosen such a theme, complimenting it's name, 'The House of Ofelia'.... it's glamorous to those who doesn't bother looking at those paintings..." She murmured in a low voice.
"Still, it's lovely!" she sat at her table.
Up until now, there were few people to be seen around, but soon the restaurant started to get emptier.
Xiao Jane didn't know if she felt better to avoid unfamiliar gazes, or felt weird that if there's less people around, Song Lin would be highlighted surely.
'Is it really a normal meet-up I'm going to have with a person and not a wonderful daydreaming date!... It's really insane ....and where is the guest of honor I am waiting to greet anyway!' her thoughts circling round and round around her head, when a seducingly husky voice broke those chain of thoughts.
"Did I make you wait for long, Miss Xiao?" The tall and broad physique of Mo Fengshi came in sight out of dark.
His lips shaped into a classy socialite smile when he threw his gaze upon Xiao Jane.
'Such.... such a wonderful cologne...' she felt her mind filling with a hypnotizing fragrance. Believe it or not but, Xiao Jane's nose had always been capable to detect classy ones, when it came to fragrances.
His beautiful purple eyes, sparkling in the low lightning of restaurant was fiercely fixed on Xiao Jane making her more nervous than before.
"Well.....well, not at all, ...have a seat first Mr. Mo!" she stood up and gestured in her opposite. The tingling cologne was messing with her senses and her forehead was about to break in sweat.
Mo Fengshi was dressed in a perfect black shirt without external wears or coats, showing off his tightened muscles, giving a hint of his physique right to its target. His hair not well combed, but intentionally left in its natural configuration.
Xiao Jane moved her eyes a little above from is chest to face him, but was dazed by every single feature of his face.
Her heart, started to beat again, but this time, it wasn't an attack, she felt nervous yet the feeling of discomfort left her for a bit.
'Is there a problem with my eyes....or his face actually resembles the shine of the moon...?' she was highly offended by the art in front of her. She couldn't believe she underestimated her own charisma in front of him. He's very different from his usual public poses and photographs she had seen over internet. They weren't doing justice to his magnificent appearance one bit.
"You're quite silent for a while....are you not comfortable?" his crazy seductive voice hammered her senses so hard that she felt her early tickling as if someone touched them.
'Why my lips are frozen? For God's sake please move a little damn you!' not being able to reply quickly, she cursed her condition.
"Ye...yeah! I'm sorr-...I mean I'm good!" she blamed her previously occuring panic attacks for her condition. She was losing control over the situation she never got a hold of.
"Okay then!" he replied concernfully.
'What was that sorry for Xiao Jane??....God my hands, stop trembling for real!!'
Her gaze shifted at right in order to find Song Lin, but she saw a man like figurine seated at that table, opposite to Song Lin, covering her partially.
'Who is he?....What is he doing at her table?' she tried her best, not to make it obvious but Mo Fengshi deliberately overlooked her actions, as if he's not bothered with what's she upto.
"I guess everything is fine at that table Miss Xiao...Will you order first?" he handed her the menu smirked dazingly, he moved forward to place it.
While at the other table, Song Lin hardly managed to take the seat right across of her bestie. When Mo Fengshi came, she tried focusing her almond eyes on the man opposite to Xiao Jane, when a warm soothing voice of a man knocked her ears.
"Are you alone here Miss?" he asked carefully, standing in front of her.
'Who is this now and why is he concerning his issues with me!'
"Yeah.... now move!" she said in utter disinterest, to make her annoyance obvious.
"You won't mind if I sit here, will you?" he moved closer, trying to occupy the vacant space in her front.
"Of course I will mind you crazy-"
"Well....to be straight at this point, it's reserved under my name 'Miss.... jump to conclusions ma'am' !" he got himself comfortable at the seat, covering her view of Xiao Jane and Mo Fengshi.
'What? but when did the reservation.....God....why did I choose this table of all tables!' but to her misery, there weren't any other table which could have aided in better outlook of that place.
"And.... I don't mind extra company of such a fierce looking lady in my table!" his lips bent into a sweet smile complimenting his facial features.
'God! If he saw me lurking around them seeking for information, he would grow suspicious of me! Wahhh!!!!
What can I do now? I can't leave Jane Jane alone and can't roam freely either! What a problamatic situation I am trapped in!'
And to their ignorance, the floor was empty with not a single soul in the sight, except for those four people sitting there, awkwardly.
"Do you want to change tables Miss?" he asked looking at the menu.